New values will create windfall
Letters to the Editor
By JEANNIE BONNER Buna

The chief appraiser states that his office "built the new property appraisal schedule off new sales numbers." He states that because a fleet of people from Beaumont and Orange who are earning money and building $200,000 and $300,000 houses here, to be equitable, he has to "start spreading the increases."

Look at your property insurance policies. Is the value of your home on your insurance policy as much as the new value placed on it by the appraisal district?

These new property values will generate a huge windfall of tax dollars, especially for the county, whose tax rate has continuously increased. The county just recently reported that all its bills are paid and it has a one million dollar surplus, so why does the county need this huge windfall of tax dollars they'll receive from the increased values on our homes?

If they are in such good shape financially, why do they need such a huge amount of additional money? How will they manage to "start spreading those increases?" Is it possible that the county will "reduce" its current tax rate?

We all survived a terrible natural disaster, Hurricane Rita. However, it is truly a natural disaster for taxpayers to continue swallowing every bitter pill sent out by those with power and control who continually rob the majority while doing special favors for those who keep them in their positions. Maybe we should have kept our blue roofs so that we wouldn't attract so many people from Beaumont and Orange.

Protest your values before July 23. The chief appraiser says his office wants to "accommodate everyone!" Call the appraisal office and you will be told to leave your name and number and someone will call you back. No other information is available when you call. You'll have to wait for a call back.

The chief appraiser's article says it might take two to three weeks to hear back from an appraiser…that could be past the July 23 deadline.

Does that mean it will be too late for you protest to be considered?

This fiasco reminds me of my favorite movie, "Gone with the Wind," and gives a possible new ending to the story. Scarlett gets Rhett back and they move to Tara, but even with all their wealth, they lose Tara to the tax collectors. They end up going to live under a bridge in the nearest shantytown with all the people who were freed from one form of slavery and became victim to another form of slavery.

They became a victim to a group of greedy and dishonest people in positions of power and control who line their pockets and the pockets of their "good old boy" buddies with unfair, unnecessary, and outrageously high taxes paid by honest, hardworking people who just want to have something everyone deserves in this life - a HOME!